This Year’s Paris Auto Show is TrèsÉlectrisant

Tesla Motors dominates the electric car market, at least in terms of the amount of attention the small-scale car builder gets. But the mainstream auto industry is sitting up and taking notice. In a world of tightening emissions standards, and even city-wide bans of internal combustion engines, they’ve collectively decided that electric cars are the answer. For proof, look to the Paris Auto Show, open to the public this week. The Mondial de l’Automobile has the usual outrageous French concepts, but also close-to-production EVs from the likes of Volkswagen (still stinging from diesel-gate), Mercedes, and Porsche.

01: Look out Model 3, here comes the ID

Volkswagen

Volkswagen is showing the world its plans to come back from the diesel emissions cheating scandal, with a big push into all electric vehicles. The German auto maker unveiled its ID Concept, which it says will lead to real vehicles by 2020. The silver and blue car is supposed to hark back to the popular VW Golf and Beetle, but with a retractable steering wheel and a trunk that can accept package deliveries. It will need to sell as well as those icons to see off competition from the upcoming Tesla Model 3 and Chevrolet Bolt, which offer the same low-cost, long-range deal.

02: Where we're going, we don't need doors

Renault

The Renault Trezor electric sports car concept is apparently a hint at the French car builder’s future styling plans, but this thing is about as far from a production car as you can get. Beautifully impractical, low and sleek, it dispenses with mundane doors, and has a lift-off roof instead. A drivetrain adapted from Renault’s Formula E series will give a 0-60 time of less than four seconds. The interior has curved OLED screens, and the car will come with an autonomous driving mode—pretty much a given with any new concept.

03: Real-world range is all the rage

Renault

Meanwhile the Renault Zoe is all real. It’s the best selling electric vehicle in Europe, so an increase in its battery size from 22kWh to 41kWh, announced at the show, is a big deal. Renault partnered with LG to make a new battery pack that has almost twice the capacity but the same physical size. It should allow the diminutive city car to go over 185 miles on a charge. It now also comes with optional leather seats and Bose audio to keep buyers comfortable on those longer trips.

04: Mercedes will go for miles

Mercedes

Mercedes-Benz wants in on the EV action, and is showing the Generation EQ, a small SUV built around a flat battery pack in the floor. While it might look fully ‘concept’ with a glowing blue grille and lack of side mirrors, this vehicle is apparently close to production. It will be one of several vehicles released with the new EQ branding, all purely battery powered. The production version of this car will go on sale by 2020, with a claimed range of over 300 miles.

05: The plug-in Panamera is quick

Jakob Ebrey/Newspress

Porsche’s second attempt at the Panamera has answered the chief criticism of Gen One—that it was ugly. The Panamera 4 E-Hybrid, coming sometime in 2017, will again add electric power, for a total of 462 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. That should give a more spirited drive than the current version, or with a lighter touch, a more economical one, with 31 miles of all-electric range. This car isn’t going to save the planet, but it will help the manufacturer meet clean vehicle requirements in markets like California.

06: But you can always rely on Citroen for the quirk

Jakob Ebrey/Newspress

Citroen’s slogan is “Be Different, Feel Good,” and the quirky French automaker certainly embraces the first part. It is showing the CXPerience concept, a plug-in hybrid, with a 19 inch center console screen, rear hinged doors (pourquoi pas?), stunning chartreuse colored seats, and concave rear window. At the 2016 Paris Auto Show, the legacy of the Citroen DS lives on.